Michael Müller | Regierender Bürgermeister von Berlin

I would like to welcome all musicians and guests to the 7th Louis Lewandowski Festival.

Berlin is not exactly poor in top-class music festivals. Among them, the Louis Lewandowski Festival occupies a special position. It is closely linked to Berlin’s culture and history. At the same time, it raises an artistic treasure that is still relatively unknown to the general public. The synagogal music, which Louis Lewandowski decisively influenced here in Berlin in the 19th century, was not only an integral part of the Jewish divine service. Christian communities also performed his Psalm settings.

Lewandowski, who came to Berlin from Poznan, was one of the great names of the Jewish bourgeoisie in Berlin. He was supported by the Mendelssohn family and earned it a high reputation as Royal Music Director and member of the Academy of the Arts.

For six years now, the Louis Lewandowski Festival has been making this musical treasure accessible to a wide audience and helping to carry on the tradition. Under the programmatic title “Icke!”, this year’s festival focuses on its namesake.

Choirs from Jerusalem, Tivon, London and Berlin will perform Louis Lewandowski’s music in churches, synagogues and other exciting venues in Berlin and Potsdam.

My thanks go to the Association of Friends and Supporters of the Synagogal Ensemble Berlin, who once again put a lot of effort into getting the festival off the ground. At the same time I would like to thank all partners, sponsors and friends of the festival.

The broad support shows: Berlin’s Jewish culture is supported by civic initiative. Everyone involved can be proud of this. With this in mind, I wish all festival guests much pleasure in the concerts of the 7th Louis Lewandowski Festival.